Archive for May, 2011

How to be Smarter: I read Marry Him by Lori Gottlieb when it came out in hardcover last year (it is now available in paperback); my girlfriends and I passed it around and it sparked some interesting conversations about marriage and long-term relationships in general.

How to be Prettier: I have a friend who paints her nails on her left hand a different color than the nails on her right. She usually chooses polishes that are hues of the same color, like this with this. It looks really cool, and if both colors are soft enough with only a subtle difference, it is work-appropriate in most offices.

How to be (less) Awkward: On your first day of a new job or summer internship, bring both a lunch from home (something that doesn’t need to be refrigerated in case they don’t have an office kitchen) and money to go out to lunch (in case your new co-workers want you to join them on their daily deli run). After the first day, you should have some idea what other people do for lunch and be able to figure out bringing lunch/buying lunch decisions from there.

How to be Smarter: It looks nice if bookends match each other, but they don’t have to match to do their job of holding up books. It’s the same on a team: it can be nice if you and your teammates have things in common, but you don’t need to be perfect personality matches to do your assigned task well.

How to be Prettier: In general, cardigans or blazers that hit you at the widest part of your middle (either your hips or your waist, depending on your body type) make your torso appear wider.

How to be (less) Awkward: When you email someone asking for advice and they take the time to respond, you need to take the time to write back and say ‘thank you’ (whether it’s someone as close to you as your mom, or someone you’ve never met who you are networking with).

How to be Prettier: Disclosure: I own a lot of rompers. However, I like this high-necked romper (in leopard) because it provides more coverage on top than most other styles, but because of the slightly lower-cut sides, I usually pair it with a black bandeau top that looks intentional if it peeks out.

How to be (less) Awkward: An “I miss you” text out-of-the-blue showing up on your phone’s screen always feels more spontaneous and heartfelt than an “I miss you” that comes at the end of a texting conversation (whether the “I miss you” is coming from a sweetie, a friend, or a sibling).